Portable electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication device has a body portion ( 2 ) and a lid ( 7 ) hingeably coupled to the body portion ( 2 ). The lid ( 7 ) is moveable about a hinged joint ( 8 ) between open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion ( 2 ) is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid. A first plurality of data input keys ( 11   b ) are provided on said surface portion of the body portion ( 2 ) whilst a second plurality of data input keys ( 11   a ) are provided on an inner surface of the lid ( 7 ). The first and second plurality of keys combine, when the lid ( 7 ) is open, to provide a QWERTY keyboard. A third plurality of keys ( 10 ) on an outer surface of the lid ( 7 ) provide a set of telephone keys for use when the lid ( 7 ) is closed. An electronic display ( 6 ) is provided on a surface of the body portion ( 2 ), the display ( 6 ) being visible to a user when the lid ( 7 ) is in both the open and closed positions. Display control means is arranged to display information on the display ( 6 ) with a first orientation when the lid ( 7 ) is in the open position and with a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation, when the lid ( 7 ) is in the closed position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to portable electronic apparatusand in particular, though not necessarily, to portable electroniccommunication apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many different types of portable electronic devices are currentlyavailable which use a small display screen, e.g. a liquid crystaldisplay, and a keyboard for entering data into the device. Examples ofsuch devices include pocket calculators, personal digital assistants(PDA), and cellular telephones. More recently, a new type of device hasbecome available which combines the functions of a cellular telephoneand a personal digital assistant. Particularly in the case of the lattertype of device, there is a strong desire to reduce the overall size ofthe device in order to allow it to be more easily carried by a user.

[0003] EP 0534478 describes a portable telephone set including anelectronic notebook function, i.e. of the combined cellulartelephone/PDA type. The device has a body portion on which a number ofelectronic notebook keys are provided. A lid is hingeably connected tothe body portion, the lid having telephone keys provided on both itsinner and outer surfaces. When the lid is closed over the body portion,the notebook keys are covered by the lid and only the telephone keysprovided on the outer surface of the lid are accessible. When the lid isopen, both the telephone keys on the lid's inner surface and thenotebook keys are accessible. The body portion is provided with anelongate display which is visible both when the lid is closed and whenit is open.

[0004] EP 0472361 describes a similar type of portable device having abody portion on which are provided a number of notebook keys and adisplay screen. A lid portion is hingeably connected to the body portionand when the lid is in the closed position the lid partially covers thedisplay. On the outer surface of the lid there are provided a number oftelephone keys which allow a user to make a telephone call when the lidis closed. A number of additional notebook keys are provided on theinner surface of the lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention there isprovided electronic apparatus comprising:

[0006] a body portion;

[0007] a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion and moveable about ahinged joint between open and closed positions in which a surfaceportion of the body portion is respectively uncovered and covered by thelid;

[0008] a first plurality of data input keys on said surface portion ofthe body portion;

[0009] a second plurality of data input keys on an inner surface of thelid;

[0010] a third plurality of data input keys on an outer surface of thelid;

[0011] an electronic display on a surface of the body portion, thedisplay being visible to a user when the lid is in said open and closedpositions; and

[0012] display control means for displaying information on the displaywith a first orientation when the lid is in the open position and with asecond orientation, substantially at right angles to said firstorientation, when the lid is in the closed position.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention may be arranged such thatthe display is suitably oriented both when the apparatus is used withthe lid closed (e.g. with only a reduced keypad accessible) and when itis used with the lid open (e.g. with an extended keypad accessible).

[0014] Preferably, said body portion of the electronic apparatus iselongate, with said electronic display being provided at a first endregion of the body portion and said lid being hingeably coupled to asecond end region, opposite to said first end region, of the bodyportion. Preferably, said hinged joint is arranged to enable the lid tobe moveable about an axis substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the elongate body portion. More preferably, saiddisplay and said first plurality of keys are arranged on the samesurface of the body portion.

[0015] Preferably, when the lid is in the open position, said first andsecond plurality of data input keys are arranged so as to provide incombination a QWERTY style keyboard (or equivalent).

[0016] The electronic apparatus of the present invention may be a mobilecommunication device. For example, the device may be arranged toremotely activate a radio telephone unit. With the lid of the device inthe closed position, said third plurality of keys may act as controlkeys for the radio telephone unit. More particularly, the thirdplurality of keys may provide numeric and other telephone dialling keysfor controlling the operation of the radio telephone unit. The devicemay additionally operate as a personal digital assistant or portablecomputer, with said first and second plurality of data input keysenabling a user to input data into the PDA or PC, or into a memory ofthe radio telephone unit.

[0017] The electronic apparatus of the present invention may alsofunction as a radio telephone without requiring any additional units. Inthis case, the third plurality of keys provide numeric and otherdialling keys for operating the device as a radio telephone. Again, thedevice may additionally operate as a PDA or PC into which data isentered using the first and second plurality of data input keys.

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention also include for examplepersonal digital assistants, palm-top computers, and pocket calculators.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention there isprovided an electronic apparatus comprising a body portion, anelectronic display on a surface of the body portion, typing modeselection means for implementing a selection between a first typing modeand a second typing mode, a first plurality of data input keyscomprising a first set of function keys, each implementing a first keyfunction in the first typing mode and a second key function in thesecond typing mode, and display control means for displaying informationon the display with a first orientation in the first typing mode andwith a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said firstorientation, in the second typing mode.

[0020] According to a third aspect of the present invention there isprovided a method of displaying information on an electronic displayprovided on a body portion of an electronic apparatus, the devicecomprising a first plurality of data input keys provided on a surface ofsaid body surface, a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion andarranged to cover said first plurality of data input keys in a closedposition and having a second plurality of data input keys on an innersurface thereof and a third plurality of keys on an outer surfacethereof, wherein the display is visible in both the open and closedpositions of the lid, the method comprising displaying information onthe display with a first orientation when the lid is in the closedposition and displaying information with a second orientation,substantially at right angles to said first orientation, when the lid isin the open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] For a better understanding of the present invention and in orderto show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now bemade, by a way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a mobile communicationdevice with a lid of the device in a closed position;

[0023]FIG. 2 shows the mobile communication device of FIG. 1 with thelid in an open position;

[0024]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 with thelid in the open position,

[0025]FIG. 4 shows in block diagram form control and display circuitryof the device of FIGS. 1 to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIGS. 1 to 3 show various views of a mobile communication device1 which is arranged to provide a user interface of a cellular radiotelephone. The device 1 communicates via a short range radio link with aradio unit (not shown in the drawings) which in turn provides the radiolink to the cellular telephone network. Such a system may be employed ina vehicle where the radio unit is built into the dashboard of thevehicle and the communication device 1 is releasably held in a dashboardmounted cradle.

[0027] The communication device 1 comprises a main body 2 which housesmost of the electronic circuitry for controlling the device 1 togetherwith a power supply battery. The body 2 is generally rectangular incross section and is provided on a rear surface thereof with amicrophone 3 and a loudspeaker 4. The loudspeaker 4 and microphone 3 arespaced apart sufficiently to enable a user to speak into the microphone3 whilst listening to sound emanating from the loudspeaker 4.

[0028] On a front surface 5 of the body 2 there is provided a generallysquare liquid crystal display 6. This display 6 is able to display textinformation in either of two different orientations as will be explainedbelow. A lid or flip 7 having a generally rectangular cross-sectionalshape is hingeably coupled to a lower edge region of the body 2 by ahinge 8 such that the lid 7 can be rotated about a hinge axis which isperpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the lid 7 and the body 2. Themain body 2 is provided with a recess 9 in its upper surface such thatwhen the lid 7 is closed over the body 2 the outer surfaces of the body2 and the lid 7 are flush with one another leaving the display 6 visibleat the upper end of the body 2.

[0029] The outer surface of the lid 7 is provided with a set of numerickeys and telephone dialling control keys 10 including “off-hook”,“on-hook”, control keys and memory recall keys (collectively termed the“telephone keypad”). It will be apparent that with the lid 7 in theclosed position, the device 1 has a configuration similar to that of aconventional cellular telephone and a user is able to make and receivecalls, via the radio unit, using the telephone keypad 10.

[0030] The lid 7 is provided on its inner surface with a set of dataentry keys 11 a which are accessible to the user when the lid 7 is inthe open position. In this open position, a set of data entry keys 11 b,provided in the recess 9 of the body 2, are also accessible. The twosets of data entry keys 11 a,11 b together form an elongate “extended”keyboard, e.g. with a QWERTY style layout, which may be used to enterdata into the device 1 when the device is operating as a personaldigital assistant.

[0031] Considering now in more detail the display 6, this is controlledwhen the lid 7 is in the closed position to display lines of textperpendicularly to the longitudinal access of the device 1 (asillustrated in FIG. 1). In this way, text is displayed in the manner inwhich it would be displayed on a conventional cellular telephone andfacilitates easy use of the device by a user who is familiar with usinga cellular telephone.

[0032] With reference now to FIG. 2, with the lid 7 in the openposition, the display 6 is controlled to display lines of text parallelto the longitudinal access of the device 1. Thus, a user is able toenter data using the extended keyboard 11 a,11 b in a normal orientation(and for example using two-hands) whilst viewing entered or retrievedinformation on the display 6. The user does not need to turn his head toan awkward angle or to be able to read lines of text at right angles.

[0033] Circuitry for controlling the orientation of the device display 6is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4 (the arrow shown inside thedisplay 6 in FIG. 4 indicates the longitudinal axis of the communicationdevice 1). A microprocessor 13 of the circuitry performs a variety offunctions including audio processing of signals received from themicrophone 3 and transmitted to the loudspeaker 4, RF control via lines19, and general data processing operations. However, as these aresubstantially conventional, only the role of the microprocessor incontrolling the display will be described here.

[0034] The circuitry comprises a mechanical switch 12 contained in thehinge 8 for detecting whether the lid 7 is in the open or the closedposition. With the lid 7 in the closed position, the switch 12 connectsan interrupt of the microprocessor 13 to a logic low level (GND). Withthe lid 7 in the open position, the microprocessor interrupt isconnected by the switch 12 to a logic high level (+V_(cc)). Softwarecontrols the microcontroller to provide a horizontal-vertical modecontroller 14 which receives the signal placed on the microprocessorinterrupt via the switch 12. Software also causes the microprocessor 13to provide a display controller 15 and a keyboard controller 16, bothcontrolled in turn by the horizontal-vertical mode controller 14. Thetelephone keys 10 and the extended keyboard 11 a,11 b are connected tothe microprocessor 13 and functionally to the keyboard controller 16.

[0035] The circuitry further comprises first and second display drivers17,18 which drive respective perpendicular sets of display lines of theLCD display 6. The display drivers 17,18 are connected to themicroprocessor 13 and functionally to the display controller 15.

[0036] With the lid 7 closed, the interrupt is set to logic low and thehorizontal-vertical mode controller 14 controls the keyboard controller16 to activate the telephone keypad 10 and to deactivate the extendedkeyboard 11 a,11 b. The horizontal-vertical mode controller 14 alsocontrols the display controller 15 to operate the display driver 17 as ahorizontal line driver and the display driver 18 as a vertical linedriver. The result is that data received from the telephone keypad, orrecalled from a memory of the device (not shown), is displayed in lineswhich are perpendicular to the longitudinal access to the device 1.

[0037] With the lid 7 open, microcontroller interrupt is at logic high.The horizontal-vertical mode controller 14 causes the keyboardcontroller 16 to inactivate the telephone keypad 10 and to activate theextended keyboard 11 a,11 b. The horizontal-vertical mode controller 14also controls the display controller 15 to select display driver 17 as avertical display driver and the display driver 18 as a horizontaldisplay driver. Data received from the extended keyboard, or recalledfrom memory, is therefore displayed in lines which are parallel to thelongitudinal access of the device 1.

[0038] In another aspect of the invention, a set of keys act as keys ofa telephone keypad and keys of an alphanumeric keypad, depending on thetyping mode set by the user. Referring to FIG. 5, a first set offunction keys 20 in the extended keyboard 11 b provided in the recess ofthe body 2 are arranged to act as a telephone keypad, when the device isused in a first typing mode, e.g. in a conventional cellular telephonemode. In this mode lines of text in the display 6 are displayedperpendicularly to the longitudinal access of the device 1. In a secondtyping mode, the same first set of function keys 20 will operate in adifferent orientation normally as part of the alphanumeric (e.q. QWERTYstyle layout) data entry keys 11 b. In this mode the display 6 iscontrolled to display lines of text parallel to the longitudinal accessof the device 1. Thus, the user is able to operate the device as amobile terminal using the set of function keys 20 in a perpendicularorientation and viewing information in the display 6 using the sameorientation. Correspondingly the user is able to enter data using theextended keyboard 11 a, 11 b in a parallel orientation whilst viewinginformation in the display 6 using the same parallel orientation.

[0039] The user can select the typing mode by entering a command throughthe user interface e.g. by pressing a specific key 21 assigned for suchan indication, or by choosing an appropriate menu option in the userinterface software. A user-operable switch corresponding to theoperation of the automatic lid position switch 12 in the aspect of theinvention can be arranged to the device for indicating the choicebetween typing modes. The selection of the user will generate a signalto the horizontal-vertical mode controller 14, which in turn willcontrol the display controller 15 and the keyboard controller 16according to the selection.

[0040] When a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion of the device isused, the set of function keys 20 is preferably on the part of theextended keyboard 11 b provided in the recess of the body 2, as shown inFIG. 5. When a lid slidingly coupled to the body portion of the deviceis used, the set of function keys 20 is preferably on the outer surfaceof the lid and the extended keyboard will comprise the keys in the outersurface of the lid and the keys 11 b in the recess of the body that areexposed when the lid is slided in the open position. With a slidingcoupling, the automatic choice of the typing mode according to the lidposition, as explained earlier, can be used.

[0041] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art thatmodifications may be made to the above described embodiment withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

1. Electronic apparatus comprising: a body portion; a lid hingeablycoupled to the body portion and moveable about a hinged joint betweenopen and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portionis respectively uncovered and covered by the lid; a first plurality ofdata input keys on said surface portion of the body portion; a secondplurality of data input keys on an inner surface of the lid; a thirdplurality of data input keys on an outer surface of the lid; anelectronic display on a surface of the body portion, the display beingvisible to a user when the lid is in said open and closed positions; anddisplay control means for displaying information on the display with afirst orientation when the lid is in the open position and with a secondorientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation,when the lid is in the closed position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim1, wherein the electronic display is provided at a first end region ofthe body portion and said lid is hingeably coupled to a second endregion, opposite to said first end region, of the body portion. 3.Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said hinged joint is arranged toenable the lid to be moveable about an axis substantially perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the elongate body portion.
 4. Apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein said display and said first plurality ofkeys are arranged on the same surface of the body portion.
 5. Apparatusaccording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when the lid isin the open position, said first and second plurality of data input keysare arranged to provide in combination a QWERTY style keyboard. 6.Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatusbeing a combined mobile communication device and personal digitalassistant.
 7. Electronic apparatus comprising: a body portion; anelectronic display on a surface of the body portion; typing modeselection means for implementing a selection between a first typing modeand a second typing mode; a first plurality of function keys, eachimplementing a first key function in the first typing mode and a secondkey function in the second typing mode; display control means fordisplaying information on the display with a first orientation in thefirst typing mode and with a second orientation, substantially at rightangles to said first orientation, in the second typing mode.
 8. Anelectronic apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a lidhingeably coupled to the body portion and moveable about a hinged jointbetween open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the bodyportion is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid; a firstplurality of data input keys comprising said first plurality of functionkeys on said surface portion of the body portion; a second plurality ofdata input keys on an inner surface of the lid; and the display beingvisible to a user when the lid is in said open and closed positions. 9.An electronic apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a lidcoupled to the body portion and slidingly moveable between open andclosed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion isrespectively uncovered and covered by the lid; a first plurality of datainput keys comprising said first plurality of function keys on an outersurface of the lid; a second plurality of data input keys on saidsurface portion of the body portion; an electronic display on a surfaceof the body portion, the display being visible to a user when the lid isin said open and closed positions.
 10. A method of displayinginformation on an electronic display provided on a body portion of anelectronic apparatus, the device comprising a first plurality of datainput keys provided on a surface of said body surface, a lid hingeablycoupled to the body portion and arranged to cover said first pluralityof data input keys in a closed position and having a second plurality ofdata input keys on an inner surface thereof and a third plurality ofkeys on an outer surface thereof, wherein the display is visible in boththe open and closed positions of the lid, the method comprisingdisplaying information on the display with a first orientation when thelid is in the closed position and displaying information with a secondorientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation,when the lid is in the open position.